Cooking with The Beehive – Flower Power: Jazz Up Your August with Lavender!

Lavender lemonade is the perfect companion to end-of-summer party appetizers. Photo by Merry Gordon.

Most people think of fragrant purple blossoms when they think of lavender—few think of food. But lavender adds the perfect end-of-summer kick to marinades, cakes and even lemonade. The trick is to buy culinary-grade lavender instead of the ornamental sprigs at your local craft store. The fresher lavender is, the less likely your recipe will be to taste like soap. Use your lavender sparingly, as the flower power can come on strong.

Lavender is part of the mint family. It’s a great substitute for

Lavender lemonade is a surefire kid-pleaser. Photo by Merry Gordon.

rosemary, it pairs well with oregano, thyme and sage among other spices, and you can get creative with summer marinades by adding just a pinch of lavender buds. But since lavender combines all that’s best of floral and citrus, the easiest place to start cooking with lavender is a cold pitcher of lavender lemonade.

Now, over medium-high heat, bring 2 ½ cups of water to a boil. Remove from burner. Next, add either sugar or honey, depending on which you’ve decided to use, and stir until dissolved.

Stir in lavender, cover the mixture and steep for at least 20-30 minutes. You can put the lavender in cheesecloth, or you can strain it before you combine it with the lemon juice and water, but don’t leave the buds in the syrup mix.